Salisbury Hopes To Trim School Budget

Salisbury School Board's finance subcommittee agreed last night to try to slash a projected $15 million budget for the 1993-1994 school year so property taxes would only increase by 1.4 percent.

To cover a projected $15,111,339 operating budget the current millage of 23.14 would need to be increased by .84 mills, said Business Administrator George R. Crawford.

A .84-mill increase would result in a 3.6 percent increase in property taxes.

But officials decided to look for ways to eliminate $551,000 from the budget, without cutting staff or programs. Doing so would reduce the necessary increase by half a mill.

The projected budget represents a 3.1 percent increase over last year's budget, which board President Richard B. Somach said was lower than the inflation rate.

But school Director Evan J. Minger said that for the past three years, some accounts have ended up having more money in them at the end of the year that had been expected.

"Year after year we overproject," he said. "We could have gotten away last year without any tax increase. Comfortably."

Many agreed for a need to streamline projections.

"Let's take a shot and budget real tight and see what happens," said Somach. "I'd like to take a risk one year. This is the year to do it."

But budgeting this year has provided a challenge to the board.

Officials have to plan for the retirement of nine teachers under the Mellow Bill. The bill enables any school employee 55 or over with 10 or more years experience to increase years of service by 10 percent.

On the other hand, officials expect a $200,000 savings in salaries because of the Mellow bill.

State funding for special education remains uncertain. Officials said they still have not received money for special education to cover last year and are expecting to be allocated less money this year.

In addition, school board directors have to plan for an annual increase in students. This year, Western Salisbury Elementary will need an extra first-grade class.

"We're starting to get really jammed up at Western," Somach said.

In addition, because of the change in the census rate, federal funds will be cut by $13,000.

Most of the budget -- $11.6 million comes from local revenue, $2.7 million from state subsidies and $156,000 from federal funds, Crawford said.

A tentative budget must be approved in May, after which the budget must be available for public review. The final budget must be passed in June.